November was a busy month at Indio High School’s HANS Academy (Health and Nutritional Services). Part of the school’s CTE program (Career Technical Education) provides specialized health career training for over 200 students, 10 percent of the school’s student body.

Dedicated to the concept of wellness in addition to health care, teachers Jason Tate and Lourdes Flores provide classroom instruction and opportunities for students to participate in the real world of the health profession.

In November, HANS Academy students had the opportunity to take a CPR/AED BLS class, become HIPAA-certified, participate in a “farmers’ market” with FIND Food Bank, and welcome Eisenhower Medical Center Vice President of Primary Care Dr. Joseph Scherger. The doctor joined Tate at the November school board meeting to provide information about the academy to the district trustees.

CPR training was a part of the partnership that the school has with neighbor JFK Memorial Hospital. The FIND Food Bank came about as a new partnership with the organization and the school’s physiology of digestion science elective nutrition class. Twice a month for the remainder of the 2017/2018 school year, FIND will deliver approximately 600 pounds of fresh produce to the class’s 38 students. Tate co-chairs a local health advisory committee associated with the nonprofit Lift to Rise with the mission of reducing and eliminating the epidemic of childhood obesity in the Coachella Valley by 2028, through access to healthy foods combined with nutrition education.

Produce and other items are unloaded as a part of a partnership between FIND Food Bank and Indio High's Health and Nutritional Services Academy.(Photo11: Submitted)

The fresh produce was delivered on Nov. 9 and 11 with a mini “farmers’ market” that drew student participation and staff interest. Students packed their bags with organic carrots, kiwis, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and more. FIND’s generosity was such that staff was also able to take home some of the food.

On Nov. 13, students filled the performing arts center for a lecture by Scherger. He is a clinical professor of family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). He also is the author of two books, “40 Years in Family Medicine” and “Lean and Fit: A Doctor’s Journey to Healthy Nutrition and Greater Wellness.” Scherger serves as president of the Riverside County Medical Association. Working with Tate, Scherger is one of the medical practitioners working to educate the students and the community on how healthy eating and living can prevent a number of diseases and conditions.

Scherger reminded the students that they are studying to be a part of an occupation that truly needs them. Medicine, especially the study of nutrition and health, is a growing field and professionals are needed in all areas from doctors to lab technicians.

The message was clear as Scherger said, “Don’t poison your body.” He spoke of addictions and noted that sugar is an addiction as well. He reminded the students that the human body is designed to be active. A marathon runner, himself, Scherger spoke of the importance of all kinds of exercise.

NEWSLETTERS

Get the Climate Point: California newsletter delivered to your inbox

We're sorry, but something went wrong

An occasional email with a California focus on water, energy and climate change, curated by reporter Janet Wilson.

Other points he made were the importance of attitude, saying that it “makes all the difference,” as well as the need for sleep. Naming it “restorative sleep” Scherger noted that teenagers and adults have forgotten how to sleep. It is important to put aside the cares of the day and find a personal method of getting a good night’s sleep.

Scherger is committed to the program at Indio High and will remain a part of the advisory board and assist Tate and Flores with the HANS Academy. Additional speakers on nutrition and preventative methods are scheduled for later in the year to add to the more than a dozen healthcare professionals who have spoken to the students since September.